Arsenio Romero, Ph.D., is the secretary of education for the state of New Mexico, based in Los Lunas. A native New Mexican and son of an educator, Romero has spent the last quarter century serving New Mexico communities as a school and district leader. Prior to his appointment as secretary, Romero served as superintendent of Los Lunas Schools and superintendent and CEO of Deming Public Schools. He also oversaw district curriculum as assistant superintendent for instruction and transformation for the Roswell Independent School District. Since 2013, Romero has been a lead performance coach/executive coach for the New Mexico Public Education Department. He started his career in education as an elementary school teacher and principal for Las Cruces Public Schools. He has taught at New Mexico State University (NMSU) since 2014, and joined the NMSU Board of Regents in 2020.

Julie Mitchell, Ed.D., is the superintendent of schools for the Rowland Unified School District in Los Angeles. With 35 years of experience in public education, Mitchell is committed to providing all students with an exceptional educational experience that will help them become thriving members of an ever-changing global society. Her leadership has brought a laser focus and unwavering vision and commitment to “innovative learning for all” that supports the individual needs of students, families and staff. This vision helped the Rowland Unified School District garner many state and national awards, including being named as a 2018 Visionary School District, receiving a Districts of Distinction honor from District Administration Magazine and being a part of Digital Promise’s League of Innovative Schools. Mitchell earned a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University, a master’s from the University of La Verne and a doctorate from Pepperdine University.

Kristina Ishmael is the deputy director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology in Washington, D.C., where she executes the office's mission of developing national edtech policy that enables everywhere, all-the-time learning and supports digital equity and opportunity. In her nearly two-decade career, Ishmael has worked at the federal, state and school levels, helping her develop a unique perspective on policy and practice. Previously, she worked as an educational consultant and senior research fellow on New America’s Teaching, Learning and Tech team, where she advised on the inclusive technology portfolio at the intersection of open education, digital equity, and culturally responsive and sustaining education. Ishmael also served as the digital learning specialist for the Nebraska Department of Education, where she led professional learning, developed policy and advocated for school librarians. She began her career as an early childhood and elementary teacher for emerging bilingual students in Omaha.